Gers Ogaily is a cardamom and saffron cake from Kuwait that is as beautiful as it is flavorful. Serve this dense, delicious cake with a cup of tea and a light sprinkle of powdered sugar.
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Cardamom Cake from Kuwait is a delicious, dense bundt cake perfect to serve alongside a cup of tea or as part of a light breakfast.
Cardamom is a popular spice for curry and chai, but it is also an excellent addition to baked goods. In this Kuwaiti cake, cardamom and saffron are the stars.
The cardamom gives this cake a rich, spiced autumn flavor while the saffron gives it a vibrant color and aroma. It is topped with toasted sesame seeds that make it rich and complex and also has a hint of rose water that makes it light and floral.
The result is a dessert that is naturally sweet but not overly sugary. It’s a sponge cake that pairs perfectly with fresh fruit, nuts, and whipped cream.
If you are a fan of other Middle Eastern or Mediterranean desserts like pistachio cookies, baklava, and rice pudding, this cardamom cake is another cake that should be added to your rotation. Once you give it a try it’s a simple recipe that you will keep coming back to again and again.
Recipe Origin
Cardamom cake from Kuwait has been translated into several different names including qors oqaily, gers ogili, gers ogely, and gers ogaily. It is also known as a perfumed cake because of its pleasant aroma. No matter what you call it, it’s a delicious, sweet cake that can be found all over the Middle East.
The cardamom cake is usually baked in a round baking mold like a bundt cake, which gives it a beautiful presentation that makes it perfect for special occasions. It is also often served with pieces of saffron on top, which can be pricey but gives the cake an elevated flavor.
The word “Gers” translates to “disk”, while Ogaily means a black cloth worn on men’s heads–both of which could refer to the round pan it is baked in.
This cake is often served during Ramadan after breakfast with a cup of tea or coffee, but it may also be served as an afternoon snack or late-night treat.
Some chefs may add sauce or toppings on top of the cardamom cake like pomegranate seeds, chocolate sauce, caramel, or a creamy saffron sauce.
What do I Need To Make This Recipe
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Saffron: For the most authentic flavor, use the freshest saffron possible. Fresh saffron looks like thick, rough hairs. It should be steeped.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds: See below for instructions on how to toast your sesame seeds.
- Milk: Any kind of milk will do but whole milk will give your cake a special richness
- Butter: Unsalted, and melted butter.
- Cardamom: Cardamom is usually sold in a powder or ground cardamom. As with all spices, the fresher the better. You may find cardamom pods which can be ground in a mortar and pestle.
- Rose Water: Rose water is water that has been infused with rose petals. It has many aesthetic purposes but it is also a popular ingredient in many Mediterranean desserts. It adds a light, floral taste to the dish. You can purchase a bottle online. Be sure that it is food-grade, rather than cosmetic.
How to Toast Sesame Seeds
The toasted sesame seeds are a critical part of this cardamom cake. You can purchase toasted sesame seeds, but it is easy to toast your own. Toasting the seeds enhances the flavor and adds a bit of a smoky flavor to this cake.
Place the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat. Allow the seeds to heat, giving them a stir about every 30 seconds.
Once the seeds begin to turn golden brown, after about five minutes, they are ready. Remove from the heat and allow them to cool on a plate while you mix the cake batter.
How to Make This Recipe
Step One: Prepare the Saffron
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Use a mortar and pestle to grind the saffron down a bit. Then add the 1 tsp of granulated sugar into the mortar and continue grinding until the sugar and saffron combine.
Pour this mixture into a small bowl, then add the warm milk and allow the saffron to soak for 10 minutes. Set aside.
Step Two: Prepare the Batter
Add the large eggs and 1 ½ cups granulated sugar into a large bowl then mix with an electric hand mixer at a low speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture triples in size.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and sesame seeds together. Set aside.
In another separate, small bowl combine the milk, saffron mixture, melted butter, cardamom, and rose water. Whisk to combine.
Once both the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients are prepared, it is time to make the batter. Take turns adding the wet ingredients and the flour mixture into the sugar and eggs, gently hand mixing to combine between each addition. Do 3 additions of each mixture, finishing with the dry.
Step Three: Bake
Spray a bundt pan with nonstick spray, then pour your batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into this lovely cake comes out clean. Enjoy!
Recipe from @elanneboake on TikTok!
Expert Tips
- The toasted sesame seeds add an important layer of flavor to the cardamom cake. Don’t skip the toasting!
- This cake has a very light, sweet flavor but it is also a fairly dense, moist cake. It is best served with tea or coffee.
- The addition of sugar to the mortar and pestle, when you grind the saffron, helps ensure the saffron is ground to a fine powder. Some people like to keep the saffron whole and steep it as is.
- Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack or cooling rack to room temperature before serving to get the most out of all the unique flavors in this great cake.
- This cake recipe requires only gentle mixing at the end so it does not require an electric mixer. A rubber spatula will work well for mixing by hand.
- This cardamom cake is traditionally baked in a bundt pan, but you could also use a round cake pan or springform pan in a pinch.
Recipe FAQs
Saffron is made of dried stigmas of a crocus. It takes a large number of flowers to produce a small amount of saffron, so it is certainly an expensive spice to have on hand. Saffron offers a delicious floral taste, and a vibrant yellow color, and also has many health benefits.
Saffron is high in antioxidants and has been said to aid weight loss and help lower symptoms of PMS as well as increase libido.
Gers Ogaily is served at room temperature with a cup of tea or coffee. It is important to let the cardamom cake cool before serving to give all the flavors a chance to settle in. You can also serve it after breakfast with tea, coffee, or orange juice.
While this cake can be enjoyed on its own or with a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top of the cake, you may also find it topped with orange zest, ground almonds, ground pistachios, chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce, saffron sauce, or even cream cheese frosting (try this Honey Cream Cheese Frosting!).
Gers Ogaily is often served during Ramadan, on special occasions, or just for an afternoon snack.
This cake, like many cakes, improves in flavor when left to sit. It can be saved in an airtight container or cake dome for up to ten days, though it is best enjoyed within five days. It can also be frozen and thawed to enjoy.
Cardamom has a unique and complex flavor. Cardamom flavor is earthy but also fruity and pairs well with savory and sweet dishes. The taste is a little bit like a combination of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, coriander and nutmeg.
Cardamom, like saffron, is also known for its health benefits. It has been shown to lower blood pressure and have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. It is also said to be good for oral health and helps disrupt bacteria that cause smelly breath.
Did you enjoy this recipe for Gers Ogaily (Cardamom Cake) from Kuwait? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:
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Cardamom Cake from Kuwait (Gers Ogaily)
Equipment
- Electric Hand Mixer
- Whisk
- Nonstick Spray
- Oven Mitt
- Mortar and Pestle
- Mixing Bowl(s)
- Small Bowl
- Toothpicks
- Bundt Pan
Ingredients
- ½ tsp saffron
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp warm milk
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- 1 cup milk, room temperature
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp rose water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Use a mortar and pestle to grind the ½ tsp saffron down a bit. Then add the 1 tsp of granulated sugar into the mortar and continue grinding until the sugar and saffron combine.
- Pour this mixture into a small bowl, then add the 2 tbsp warm milk and allow the saffron to soak for 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Add the 4 eggs and 1 ½ cups granulated sugar into a large bowl then mix with an electric hand mixer for about 5 minutes until the mixture triples in size.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the 2 cups flour, ½ tsp salt, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, and 2 tbsp sesame seeds together. Set aside.
- In another separate, small bowl combine the 1 cup milk, saffron mixture, ½ cup melted butter, 1 tsp cardamom, and 1 tsp rose water. Whisk to combine.
- Once both the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients are prepared, it is time to make the batter. Take turns adding the dry & wet ingredients into the sugar and eggs, gently hand mixing to combine between each addition. Do 3 additions of each mixture, finishing with the dry.
- Spray a bundt pan with nonstick spray, then pour your batter into the bundt pan. Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Enjoy!
Notes
- Saffron: For the most authentic flavor, use the freshest saffron possible. Fresh saffron looks like thick, rough hairs. It should be steeped.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds: See below for instructions on how to toast your sesame seeds.
- Milk: Any kind of milk will do but whole milk will give your cake a special richness
- Butter: Unsalted, and melted butter.
- Cardamom: Cardamom is usually sold in a powder or ground cardamom. As with all spices, the fresher the better. You may find cardamom pods which can be ground in a mortar and pestle.
- Rose Water: Rose water is water that has been infused with rose petals. It has many aesthetic purposes but it is also a popular ingredient in many Mediterranean desserts. It adds a light, floral taste to the dish. You can purchase a bottle online. Be sure that it is food-grade, rather than cosmetic.
- The toasted sesame seeds add an important layer of flavor to this cake. Don’t skip the toasting!
- This cake has a very light, sweet flavor but it is also a fairly dense, moist cake. It is best served with tea or coffee.
- The addition of sugar to the mortar and pestle, when you grind the saffron, helps ensure the saffron is ground to a fine powder. Some people like to keep the saffron whole and steep it as is.
- Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack or cooling rack to room temperature before serving to get the most out of all the unique flavors in this great cake.
- This cake recipe requires only gentle mixing at the end so it does not require an electric mixer. A rubber spatula will work well for mixing by hand.
- This cake is traditionally baked in a bundt pan, but you could also use a round cake pan or springform pan in a pinch.
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